A Warrior's Heart
by Rainsdoodle
Summary: “There is only one way a savage like him would be accepted in our village,” The elder said in reply, “And that is if he proved himself as a loyal warrior.” Please read and review!
1. Prologue

A Warrior's Heart

Prologue

John took in a deep breath of sea air as he slung his pack back onto his back. He winced as it brushed against his side. True, the gunshot wound had been healed for some time, but it was still sensitive.

Up the plank and up to the ship's deck he walked, with Percy on his heals. The wind blew back his blonde hair and he nodded to the captain of the ship. This was one of only three ships going to Virginia this year, and he had missed the first one while recovering.

_Won't she just be shocked when I show up again_, John thought pleasantly. An image of his love rose in his head and his grin deepened. He missed her smile, the soft sound of her voice, her eyes filled with love and wonder.

Minutes later, the sails were being drawn, the plank put up, and the ropes untied. They were off. In a few short months, John would be with his beloved again.

* * *

**That's the prologue!**


	2. Chapter one

Chapter One

Pocahontas ran through the corn field. The winter wind blew in her face, making her skin ripple. The dead stalks rustled as she ran towards the Jamestown settlement.

_Something's happened, I can feel it!_ She thought as she ran.

The months since John Smith had left had flown by for Pocahontas, and for that, she was thankful. She had missed him terribly, and still did. But something inside her had told her to live each day as if he was still there, and she had done just that.

But she still couldn't get over the fact that she had found love and lost it all in the time of a week.

"Hurry!" She said to Flit, who buzzed loyally beside her right shoulder. Meeko bound after her as well. Pocahontas crashed through the brush of the forest. She was almost there.

Her moccasin-covered feet pounded the frozen earth as she ran on. A blanket of snow had fallen the night before, but most of it had melted. Pocahontas knew spring was only a few short weeks away.

The trees began to clear as she neared the shore where the Jamestown settlement stood. She could see the tall wall of the settlement. She slowed into a walk and stopped as she came to the wall. She walked around the settlement towards the front entrance.

Suddenly, she stopped short. She could scarcely believe what stood in front of her.

It was a ship at port. Pocahontas smiled and ran towards the port, searching out Thomas.

"Thomas!" She called. She spotted him at the end of the dock and she walked towards him. "Thomas!"

Thomas turned around. "Morning, Pocahontas!" He said.

"Wingapo, Thomas." Pocahontas said.

"How's everything going in the village?"

"Well, thank you. How are things going here?"

"Well enough. The supply ship just got back!" Thomas said. He looked at Pocahontas's face. He knew what question she had. "And I'm sorry, but no letter came from John today."

Disappointment flashed in Pocahontas's eyes. She hadn't heard from John since he had left, and Pocahontas was beginning to worry.

"Oh." She said softly. "Thank you, Thomas."

Pocahontas turned to go. Thomas watched her go. He was feeling a little guilty about not telling her that John had actually returned, but John had asked him not to. And he hadn't lied to her. He had said that no letter had come from John, and no letter had. He sighed and turned back around. Maybe he had a letter from his family waiting for him…

...oOo...

Pocahontas walked away from the Jamestown settlement towards Grandmother Willow. She didn't know why she had had a feeling that something wonderful had happened, but she had.

As she neared the old tree, she sighed. She climbed up on the stump and was about to begin speaking when there was a loud _crack_ above her head, and then a man tumbled from the tree.

"I told you to be careful!" Grandmother Willow said, appearing, apparently talking to the man. Pocahontas stared at the man, who groaned and sat up on the ground, rubbing his head.

Pocahontas stared at him, and she felt her heart flop and warm up at if it had been placed near a fire. Then she yelled out,

"John?!"

* * *

_I couldn't resist! I had to make him fall out of Grandmother Willow!_

_Boy, does it feel good to be back to Pocahontas fanfiction! I still have my MTR fic to finish, people, but I am making an honest effort to update Finding Love. Look for it soon! I think I might change the name...and I have interviews to write...I'll have to do those this weekend, seeing as today was busy and now that my school has been threatened yet again with a bomb threat (why we have to wear lanyards and IDs, have cameras, and now get searched, and wait outside in the freezing cold until they decide to let us in, and if we don't have our ID, we don't get into the building) I'll be on my toes for the rest of the week. Bummer for me..._

_Anyway, please review!_

_-Robin_


	3. Chapter two

Chapter Two

John grinned up at her from where he was. Not seconds later, a bucket of a hat fell onto his head from one of the branches.

Pocahontas began to laugh and helped him up, "That's familiar, isn't it?"

"That's a gift from Meeko," Grandmother explained as the Raccoon began chattering at the couple. "He says that you had left it here last time and he figured you would want it back."

Pocahontas stifled a giggle as she pulled John into a deep embrace. He kissed her lightly on the lips, sending a small surge of happiness through both of them.

They broke apart and walked down the side of Grandmother Willow's trunk, hand in hand. Pocahontas looked up into John's eyes happily. "I missed you," she whispered.

John smiled back, "I missed you too." He lightly kissed her forehead.

They walked around for about a half hour, catching up and enjoying each other's company. It was so peaceful in the glade, just as they had remembered it to be.

John was lying on his back on the frost covered ground and Pocahontas sat at his side when Nakoma crashed into the glade. Pocahontas was up at once, rushing towards her best friend.

Her sides were heaving and her face was flushed. Pocahontas got her to sit down. "What's going on?" she asked her best friend.

"Pocahontas…you've got to come…back to village," Nakoma gasped. John walked over and looked at Nakoma's face. Fear and worry were written all over it.

"What's happened?" he asked her gently. Shock showed in her eyes at seeing John again, but it could not mask her other emotions.

"You both need to come with me," she said quietly, her breath coming back, "now."

* * *

_Sophie, what happened?!_

**Write the next part and find out!**

**_Please review!_**


	4. Chapter three

Chapter Three 

John and Pocahontas looked at each other. What was wrong?

"Nakoma," Pocahontas said. "Please, just calm down. Tell us what's wrong."

"Pocahontas, you're father is sick!" Nakoma managed between short breaths of air. "Kekata sent me to find you, but you weren't at Jamestown. I knew this was a shortcut home, so I took it. I heard the you talking, and I figured you were here."

"Father is sick?" Pocahontas's voice, face, and eyes filled with a worry John had only seen once in his life. Pocahontas jumped to her feet, John right behind her. She began to sprint towards her home. John and Nakoma caught up with her.

The three neared the village after about five minutes. Pocahontas ran straight for a hut in the center of the village. John and Nakoma followed her close behind.

Pocahontas pushed back the flap of the hut and entered. Her father lay on a mat at the back of the hut, Kekata and two of the village elders around him.

"Ah, good, you're here. I see Nakoma found you." Kekata said. "I knew if anyone could find you, it would be her." He said. The elders turned around as well.

Pocahontas walked towards her father slowly. What had happened? He was fine a couple hours ago!

"Father?" She asked, kneeling next to him. "I'm here, Father. And Nakoma and John are here as well."

"He can't hear you, Pocahontas." Kekata said. Pocahontas looked at him, tears beginning to form. Nakoma came and joined her, kneeling next to Powhatan. John watched uncomfortably from the dark corner. He wasn't sure what to do. Finally, he walked to where she knelt beside her father.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asked. Pocahontas shook her head and was about to say something when one of the village elders said,

"Yes. You can get out of our village, and never come back."

Pocahontas wheeled around on her knees, tears already covering her cheeks. "What are you saying? John is welcomed by my Father, your _chief_, into our village. You have no right to shun him!" she snapped at the elder.

"You are in grief right now and know not of what you speak," the elder told her calmly, "He has had a bad effect on you and our entire village already."

"You can't send him away! I love him and my Father accepted him. Surly you would not throw out the judgment of your Chief so quickly the moment he falls ill!" Rage filled Pocahontas's eyes as she stood and faced the elder. His face was calm as she stood before him.

"There is only one way a savage like him would be accepted in our village," he said in reply, "and that is if he proved himself as a loyal warrior."

John looked surprised. A loyal warrior? That's what he had to do to be with Pocahontas again?

"What do you mean?" Pocahontas demanded of the elder.

"He must prove that he has the heart of a warrior. He must prove his bravery, trust, and loyalty."

"He's proven himself already! He proved himself when he saved my father's life!" Pocahontas pointed out.

"That was very brave." The elder said. "And we shall see if he has the heart of a true warrior."

"But-" Pocahontas started, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her and so did the elder cutting her off.

"There is nothing left to say here." The elder said and Pocahontas just looked at the ground. The elders exited the hut, along with Kekata and Nakoma. Pocahontas looked next to her. It was John who had placed his hand on her shoulder. Pocahontas's hand went up to his.

"I didn't know they'd do this." She whispered.

"I didn't either." John said. "If I had known my presence would cause such a stir…" He said, but Pocahontas stopped him.

"Don't say you wouldn't have come back." She commanded. "I didn't know if I'd ever see you again."

"Personally, I didn't know, either." John said.

"John, what are you going to do?" Pocahontas asked.

"Whatever it takes." John said.

"John, you do realize that they mean that if you do become one of my father's warriors, if there is ever a battle between our people, they will expect you to fight on our side." Pocahontas said. "Would you be able to do that?"

John thought a moment. Would he be able to do that if the moment arose to where he had to choose? He looked at Pocahontas. If it came to that, for her he would.

"I understand that, and if it came to that, then yes, I'm sure I would be able to." John said. _But am I?_

"Then I would go and speak to the elders." Pocahontas said. "I'll stay here with my father." John nodded, and gently kissed her forehead.

"It's going to be alright, you'll see." He said. He quietly left and Pocahontas knelt back down next to Powhatan.

"Father, I don't know if you can hear me or not. The elders don't want John to join our tribe. Please, you have to wake up and get better soon. I need you." She whispered and took his hand. She sat there for what seemed like hours until she heard soft footsteps behind her. She turned, expecting to find Nakoma, but instead she found John.

John was dressed in the traditional fringed winter outfit of a warrior. He had on a fringed long-sleeved shirt, and fringed leggings. He also wore the traditional winter moccasins. Pocahontas was surprised. She had never known John to wear anything but what she had met him in.

Suddenly, she realized what John being dressed as a warrior of her village meant – the elders were going to allow him to train as a warrior.

* * *

_Hola, people! Here's this chapter! Please review! By the way, me and Sophie add a little to each chapter, and instead of making each thing we add a seperate chapter, we're doing it like this. So...yeah._

_Anyway, review, please!_

_-Robi_


	5. Chapter four

Chapter Four 

"In order to be counted as a true warrior of our tribe," one of the men, Awekmo, told John as they paddled in a canoe upstream, "You must be able to wield and defend anyone with our weapons. Those guns of yours are just a bit too hard to handle."

John nodded, remaining silent. He was nervous, being his first day in training and all. They had been paddling against the current since sunrise, less than half of an hour ago. Already the muscles in his arms were straining, not being used to paddling a canoe.

They pulled onto a bank about fifteen minutes later. John shook out his arms and the two other men next to him laughed. "You'll get used to it eventually," Kamut, the other warrior, said lightheartedly with a smile. "I remember when I started to train…"

Awekmo rolled his eyes at his friend and walked to the canoe. Out of the bottom he pulled out three wooden bows and a large deerskin quiver of arrows. He handed one to John and Kamut.

"We start with the majestic bow," Awekmo said with a grin.

…oOo…

Pocahontas sat beside her father, idly stroking his hand. She had talked to him all morning, hoping that he could hear her. Seeing her father like this scared her to death, but she had to hope that he would be alright.

The skin door opened and Kamut walked in with a happy look on his face. His hair was slightly wet and had begun to stick to his skin. "I was asked to give you a report on how John's training has been going," he said with a slight bow of his head.

"Aren't you cold? You look sopping wet," Pocahontas said with concern.

Kamut just grinned harder, "The canoe we were in sprung a leak. Awekmo is teaching John to repair it at the moment. Then we are to go hunting. He is doing very well for never holding an arrow in his life." He nodded again and left the room.

Pocahontas sighed. "I hope he can do it," she said quietly out loud, both for herself and for her father.

"I'm sure he'll be able to." Nakoma said. "Don't worry!"

But Pocahontas couldn't help but worry. Just because John was doing well didn't mean he would be accepted. And she was scared.

...oOo...

John wiped the sweat from his forehead as he continued to fix the canoe with sticky tree sap. Even though it was quite cold outside, and John could see his breath ever so slightly, he was about to burn up.

"Are you alright?" Rek, another one of the warriors asked. John nodded.

"Just a little hot, that's all."

"Hey, you'll cool down. Don't worry." Rek said.

John just shrugged. He knew Rek, Awekmo, and Kamut were only trying to be his friends, but John wondered if he could ever really belong there. Sure, even if he was accepted into the village, that didn't mean the villagers themselves would accept him. Not all of them at least. Many of them still believed him to be a murderer.

John shuddered at the memory. It hadn't been his fault, and yet many people believed it had been.

As soon as the sap had dried and hardened, they were off. They went down river this time, sticking close to the banks. Not to far from the village they stopped and Rek pulled out spears from the bottom of the boat.

"Now we'll work on throwing the spear." Awekmo said. John silently groaned. He could already tell this wasn't going to end well. Then again, he had thought the same thing about the bow and arrow, and he had turned out to be pretty good at that.

"OK, John, this is all you do." Rek said, picking up a spear. He held it in his hands. Then he brought his arm back and let the spear fly through the air. It landed a good twenty feet from them. Rek turned back to him. "Now you try."

John took a deep breath and picked up a spear. He drew back his hand and sent the spear flying.

It hit a tree about ten feet away.

"Not bad." Kamut said. "When I first started, the thing fell out of my hands and landed about two feet from me!"

"I remember that." Awekmo said. "You almost killed me!"

Kamut rolled his eyes at his friend. "I think that's enough with the spear. It's apparent that you're as good with it as you are with the bow. Now let's work on sharpening a knife."

Awekmo brought out two stones. Carefully, he began to chip at the sides of the flint stone. He handed the stones to John.

"Here. Just do what I did." John glanced at the others before he finally sighed, shrugged, and started to work on the knife.

...oOo...

Pocahontas knelt beside her father. He had woken up. Finally, finally, he had woken up.

"Pocahontas," Powhatan said. "When I first became sick, did I dream this, or did you tell me that John has returned?"

Pocahontas smiled and shook her head. "No, Father, you weren't dreaming. John's back."

"Where is he?" Powhatan asked. He knew that Pocahontas and John were inseparable, and if John was back, where was he?

"The elders don't trust him." Pocahontas sighed. "And they're testing him. Awekmo, Rek, and Kamut are helping John learn to be a warrior, so that he can prove he has a warrior's heart."

"Why would he need to prove himself? He's done that already!" Powhatan said.

"I know, but Hakia wasn't convinced." Pocahontas said. She smiled. "But things are going well. He uses a bow as if he's been using one his whole life, and they're teaching him to mend a canoe and to paddle one, too. I only hope it lasts."

"Everything will be fine, daughter. John's strong, and I know he'll prove himself."

"I know you're right." Pocahontas agreed. "And I'm very glad you're feeling better."

"As am I." Powhatan said. Suddenly, Awekmo ran into the hut.

"Awekmo? What's wrong?" Pocahontas asked.

"Where's Kekata?"

"At the river. Why? What's wrong?" Pocahontas answered.

"Well, we were showing John how to sharpen a knife, and after it was finished, somehow it slipped and cut John's palm…deep."

Pocahontas looked at her father, who nodded, and she ran off towards the river. She scanned the crowd for John, and Kekata as well.

She spotted John first. His left hand was clenched in a fist, and Pocahontas could see that his other hand was a bit bloody.

"John!" She cried as she ran to him.

John looked up, and Pocahontas could see the pain in his eyes, but she saw triumph as well.

"John, let me see." She commanded. John slowly opened his fist with a hiss and Pocahontas could see the gash in his hand. It went all the way across his palm, and it was fairly deep.

"John, we have to get you to Kekata's!" Pocahontas said.

"It's alright." John said. "But I agree."

She helped him to stand up without the use of his hand and they walked towards the river. Blood dripped onto the hard packed dirt as they walked. John managed to keep a calm face, but Pocahontas saw the pain he felt in his eyes. She squeezed his good hand in support and kept walking.

Kekata wasn't very far up the river. When they reached him, he was bent over gathering herbs. He stood at the sound of footsteps behind him. "Pocahontas, John," he said in greeting, a bit of surprised betrayed in his voice. "What work have you brought for me?"

"John cut his hand sharpening a knife. It looks pretty deep." Pocahontas tried to keep her worry out of her voice. Worry for John's hand, worry for his acceptance, worry for their relationship.

Kekata walked over and took John's cut hand. He gazed intently into it and gave a bit of a smile. "It's not as bad as it looks. We'll have to wash it out with special leaves when we get back to the village; it will sting just a bit, but we need to clean it before infection can set in. Until we get back, rip a strip off of your shirt and tie it around your hand. You don't want to loose too much blood."

John did as he was told, tying the strip off with a secure knot. Pocahontas let out a sigh as she helped Kekata carry some of the herbs he had found. Maybe things would go ok after all. If his hand wasn't that bad, that wouldn't stop John from training to be a warrior. _Nothing would stop John_, she thought with a small smile.

They arrived at the village and walked to Kekata's home. Pocahontas was about to step in when John held out his arm to stop her, the one with the good hand. Pocahontas looked into his eyes, thoroughly confused. "I'll be fine," he said with a slight smile, "You don't have to come in. Here, I'll take those herbs for you."

"Ok," Pocahontas said with a slightly weird look, "Are you sure you're ok?"

John nodded, taking the herbs in his uninjured hand and walking into the home. Pocahontas seemed to take the drift and she walked away. John sighed, _I don't want her to worry about me anymore. This will be nothing, but if she sees any trace of pain in my face, she'll start to worry about it even more. I don't want to do that to her. _

Kekata had John sit down as he grabbed the herbs he needed. He mixed them with water in a small bowl. As quickly as his old and wise body could manage, Kekata sat down next to John and carefully peeled the strip of clothing off of his hand. He poured the contents of the bowl onto the cut, washing it deep into it.

John cringed, both from the smell of the herb and its sting. _This does sting_, John thought as Kekata finished pouring the water over his hand, _but I can honestly say that I've have worse. _

They rapped up the hand with a bandage and John stood, helping Kekata to do the same. He walked out of the house to Pocahontas. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

Awekmo walked up to them, relief showing from his eyes. "The warriors have decided that you need some time to let your hand heal, so we will resume training tomorrow. I hope that you don't mind." He winked at John.

John smiled and threw up his hands, "Whatever am I going to do with the time to eat a proper meal and have a more-than-full night's rest! This is an outrage!"

Awekmo, Pocahontas, and John all burst out laughing. "Like I said," Awekmo said a minute later, "I'll get you in the morning for training."

John nodded and Pocahontas slid her hand into his. They walked towards the fire, hands swinging between them.

* * *

_-nervous laughter- Ah heh. Hi, guys! _

_Sorry it took a while to update this story. My bad. Me and Sophie kinda left this story alone after I became obsessed with Meet the Robinsons, but I've vowed to keep it going, unlike our Hammy story, which was lost to cyberspace forever..._

_Anyway, please review!_

_-Robin_


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